Hat for firemen, &amp;c.



No. s94,|ss. Patented Feb. 25, I902. J. L. MAITLAND.

HAT FOR FIREMEN, 8m.

(Application filed Sept. 14. 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

JAMES L. MAITLAND, OF GARFIELD, NEWV JERSEY.

HAT FOR FIREMEN, 86C- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,168, dated February 25, 1902.

Application filed September 14, 1901. Serial'No. 75,381. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JAMES L. MAITLAND, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Garfield, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hats for Firemen, Policemen, Soldiers, or Like Persons, of which the followingis a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide a hat, helmet, or the like, such as is used by firemen, but also capable of use by or adaptation to the purposes of policemen, military, or other similar persons, which will serve as a guard for the head against the impact of accidental or purposed projectiles-such as bricks, stone, mortar, beams, &c.-falling from buildings in the case of firemen, or similar matter violently impelled by riotous or antagonistic persons in other cases, it being particularly the object of my invention not only to prevent all damage to the head of the wearer from such causes, but also to make such a hat as will not be unreasonably heavy, nor, in fact, very much heavier than an ordinary hat or helmet of the class to which this device appertains.

With these and other objects in view the in vention consists of a hat of the class described formed with two separate superposed crowns and the inner crown extending downwardly at the rear of the head toleave a space between the crowns rearwardly of the head of the wearer and the inflatable bag being of a form to extend also between the two crowns at its rearward portion and protect the back of the head of the wearer, as well as the top or crown, and the bag being removable at this portion of the hat and insertible therefrom.

Finally my invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which like letters of reference designate corresponding parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partially in central vertical section, of a firemans hat embodying my invention; and Fig. 2 is an inverted plan View thereof.

In the practice of my invention 1 first construct the main outer body of the hat, which comprises a stiff brim or shield 5, of any desirable material, form, or shape, according to the style of hat which it is desired to construct, and in the particular type of hat or head-covering for firemen which I have shown in the drawing and to which my invention is primarily applicable this brim is provided with a downwardly and outwardly curved portion 5. Projecting upwardly from this brim and preferably integral therewith is a main or outer crown 6, the form of which determines the exterior contour of the hat and which in my invention may be elevated slightly above the usual height of such hats and which, particularly in the form or adaptation shown in the drawings, is somewhat longer than necessary for the proper fitting upon the top of the head of the wearer.

Within the crown 6 I secure thereto in any desired manner at the forward or forehead portion 7 of the hat a supplemental inner or false crown 8 of considerably-less height than the main crown 6 and of less length, so as to leave above and around and rearwardly of the inner or false crown a compartment 9. The

inner or false crown 8 is preferably rounded.

in contour, and it will also be found desirable and advantageous similarly to round the main crown 6, and in this general type of hat it is customary to round the latter.

Within the compartment 9 I insert an inflatable bag 10 of a form to fit in and substantially fill the compartment 9 and the upper portion of the hat and provided with a narrowed or neck-like portion or extension 10 which fills that portion of the compartment rearwardly of the inner crown 8.

The brim 5 being integral with the outer crown 6 extendsover into contact with the inner crown 8, and between the two crowns at the rear it is provided with a transverse slit or opening 11, closed by a suitable lacing or like fastening 12. Through this slit or opening the inflatable bag is inserted and retained when it is inflated. The lower portion 10 is provided at its end with a nozzle or valve 10 which projects outwardly through and below the opening ll or may be seated or turned within the same before the lace is tied and through which the bag is inflated.

. vided with the usual front shield'or numberplate 13, but this forms no 11011.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompa'nying drawing, and the advantages resulting therefrom will be manifest to all who are conversant with devices of this character.

The bag is inserted in the hat in the dellated condition or just sufficiently inflated to fit easily thereinto. It is passed through the opening, and somewhat in consequence of the rounded contour of the inner or false crown S the bag may readily be forced forwardly to project into the forward portion of the compartment 9. As the bag is inflated through the valve 10 by means of the usual pump or in any desired manner, the forward portion of the bag projects still farther into the forward portion of the compartment 9, and the whole bag tends to fill the compartment above and rearwardly of the innercrown 8. Acting from the fulcrum of the said inner crown 8 the bag as it isinfiated forces its upper portion against and into pressure con tact with the undersurface of the upper crown 6 and forms an effective cushion of air between them.

In the specific scope of my invention, as shown in the drawing, the bag is separable from the remainder of the hat and its airtightness is elfectually preserved regardless of the age or condition of the hat.

When the hat is worn upon the head, the inner crown 8 rests upon the head of the wearer in the usual manner. The weight of the hat may be borne by the rim or periphery of the head by tight contact with the periphery of the inner crown 8, as is customary with the majority of apparel hats, or the hat may be constructed so that the head will fit neatly in the inner crown 8 in substantial contact with the area thereof. In firemens hats and similar head coverings as at present constructed it would be dangerous to wear the hat closely upon the head in this manner, for the skull would be crushed by any blow from a falling or impelled missile. While it may be desirable that my hat be constructed to be supported on the head by rim contact, yet it will becapable of use and of effective pro tection to the head even though it contact with the crown of the skull, and this is particularly advantageous in cases where a fireman in one of the moments of peril wherein my improved hatis most valuable may seize a hat somewhat larger than his own, which would thus rest closely on the top of his head. In this and all other contingencies of service objects having either a gravitative or other motion in the direction of. the hat will be received by and upon the same and repelled therefrom, their impact being taken up by the bag or cushion 10. The inner crown 8 and the rounded contour thereof are a suppart of my invenrepair or for other reasons or a new one substituted, and tho'use of my invention therefore does not necessitate the maintenance of p the hat-body in any more perfect condition of repair than ordinarily nor require any more frequent purchase of a new hat, and in this connection, in fact, the use of my invention will tend to prolong considerably the life of the hat by reducing to a veryslight mini-' mum the chief causes for destruction of such hats.

I do not desire to confine myselfto the ex act construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described, as I conceive my invention to be broad in its plan and novel in its scope.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A hat of the character described comprising a main or outer crown and a supplemental inner or false crown secured within the hat at an appreciable distance beneath the said crown and in contact therewith at the front or forehead portion of the hat and out of contact therewith at the rear, and an air-cushion or inflatable bag within the hat between the two crowns thereof and extending downwardly at the rear and adapted to project and be removed through the space between the said crowns at the .lower rear portion of the hat.

2. A hat of the character described comprising a shield or brim and an integral upwardly-projecting crown and an inner supplemental or false crown secured to the front edge of the main crown and extending longitudinally of the hat to a point inward of the rear portion of the main crown to form above and rearwardly of and around the false crown a compartment, an inflatable bag having its main portion adapted substantially to occupy the compartment above the inner crown and formed with a contracted or narrowed extension adapted to occupy the portion of the compartment rearward of the inner crown; a slitted portion at the mouth of the rearward end of the compartment through which the bag is adapted to be removed and a fastening for the slitted portion to normally hold the bag therein. 4

3:A hat of the character described comprising a main or outer crown and a supplemental inner or false crown secured within the hat at an appreciable distance beneath the said crown and in contact therewith at the front or forehead portion of the hat and out of. contact therewith at the rear, an air-cushion or inflatable bag within the hat between the two crowns thereof and extending downwardly through the space between the said crowns at the lower rear portion of the hat,

the said hat being slitted to permit the removal of the air-cushion therefrom at the said point and being provided thereat'with a fastening device to hold the bag normally in position within the hat.

4. Ahat of the character described, a shield or brim and an integral upwardly-projecting crown of rounded contour and an inner supplemental or false crown secured to the front edge of the main crown and extending ata point appreciably below the top of the main crown and extendinglongitudinally of the hat to a point inward of the rear portion of the main crown to form above and rearwardly of and around the inner or false crown a compartment, said inner or false crown being rounded; an inflatable bag having its main portion adapted substantially to occupy the compartment above the inner crown and adapted when inflated to press upwardly against the upper portion of the outer crown from the fulcrum of the lower crown and formed with a contracted or narrowed rear portion adapted to occupy the portion of the compartment rearward of the inner crown; a slitted portion at the mouth of the rearward end of the compartment between the crowns through which the bag is adapted to be inserted and passed upwardly, and a fastening for the slitted portion whereby access may readily be had to the compartment for the insertion and removal of the bag and the said bag being provided with a nozzle or valve adapted to be projected through the said slitted-p'ortion.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 11th day of September, 1901.

JAMES L. MAITLAND.

Witnesses: v

F. F. TELLER, F. A. STEWART. 

